April 21, 2022

Hi, y’all –  

It’s been a bit since I’ve updated everyone and I apologize for making you wait so long to hear from me.  I’m sure the first thing you want to know is how am I doing.  So let me address that first.  I am doing well from the surgery.  I am only taking pain medication at night to dull the senses so I can try and sleep, however, I am not sleeping very well as I am a side sleeper and with all this work that was done on my chest I have to sleep on my back, which is not natural for me.  I have tried everything – EVERYTHING.  I bought a maternity pillow (found here for the visual) and some nights that seems to work but by the morning, I am just miserable so I end up removing it.  Some nights I just try and prop pillows up, behind my back, under my knees, etc., and again for a little it that may work, but by morning (4-5 am) I am uncomfortable and end up just getting up.  Sadly, most mornings, I am still very tired when I get up.  Hopefully, soon I will be able to go back to my normal sleeping position and start to get some rest.

My surgical areas are healing nicely.  I still have A LOT of surgical tape on the incisions and they are itching like crazy – this is the reason why I know they are healing.  Some of the surgical tapes has fallen off however most of it is still there.  I’m sure that this is too much information, but for full transparency let me explain the extent of the surgical incisions.  Since I chose to do a breast reduction and a lift as part of my reconstructions I have surgical incisions under both breasts and including incisions around both nipples (I warned you that this would be too much information – sorry guys!)  On the right side, I also have an incision under my arm where they removed the 3 lymph nodes and honestly, that is the worst part of the incisions.  That incision has made the opposite arm very hypersensitive (the fatty part of your arm that wiggles when you wave).  I spoke to Nicole,  my surgeon’s nurse, yesterday and she said that this is normal and should get less hypersensitive the further away we get from surgery.  Let’s hope!

One of the problems that I am having is around my rotator cuff injury on my right arm, which is the same side the cancer reconstruction.  Let me explain.  In May 2021, I had a slip and fall where I injured my right arm and tore ligaments that affect the rotator cuff area.  I was in physical therapy (PT) for this injury when I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2021.  Unfortunately, due to the number of doctor’s appointments and everything else with my cancer I stopped the PT on the arm.  Fast forward to today, after surgery they provided a list of exercises that I am to do daily to build the muscles of that side and build the flexibility back and it seems that by doing those exercises I’m aggravating my torn ligaments in the rotator cuff area.  At night, my arm sometimes hurts worse than my incision wounds.  I explained this to Nicole yesterday and she was willing to write me a script to get with my amazing PT locally and come up with some exercises that will help with my surgical healing and also my rotator cuff injury.  Praises for great doctors and excellent care!!

As you can imagine, I still tire easily, which from what I understand that is going to be my new normal for quite some time.   I am learning to do what I can when I can and then give myself GRACE for the stuff that I can’t.  It’s a process people, especially for someone like me who is accustomed to moving at 100 mph.  (That’s what my mother says – it’s so true!!!)

Please don’t take the above information as I’m not doing well, because I am.  It’s just all part of the healing process and my current reality.  

On another note, my parents were able to come for a visit from 04/13 to 04/20.  I haven’t seen them since January 2021 when my mother had back surgery.  I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to have them here.  It was a visit that was much different than the other visits.  My mother needs another back surgery which has been scheduled for 05/11 (PRAYERS for her, please) and with my recuperation, we did a lot of sitting around watching some great TV movies and sitting on the porch and chatting.  Honestly, it was just wonderful to be able to see and hug my parents.  It had been WAY too long. (PRAISES!)

I will post another entry to provide you all with the results of my pathology report.  That will be a long post as there is quite a bit of explaining to do with the results.  I hope to get that posted today or tomorrow.  Until then, these are my prayer request for the week.

Prayers:

• For my continued healing and recovery.
• For my mother to have a successful surgery and recovery on 05/11.
• For my sister, Nicky, to have a successful appointment with her back doctor as she is still struggling with her back issues.
• For my BIL, Phillip, who also has an appointment with a back doctor for his degenerative back issues – we fear surgery for him is the future.  (Maybe they can get a 2 for 1 with Phillip and mom’s surgery).
• For my cousin, Sabrina, who had DIEP reconstruction surgery in March.  Prayers for her continued healing.  Sabrina is currently in the hospital fighting Colitis.  Please pray for her to recover and get home soon.
• For guidance for the next steps for me – radiation.

Thank you all for the cards, calls, and text messages checking on me.  Mano and I are so appreciative.  We love you all!

Xo,

Tracy

Enjoy the pictures of Mom and Dad’s visit. We didn’t take many, we just enjoyed being together rather than taking photos but we did get a few.